Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-08-29

Alerandria, Ia.
Entered at the POstoce at Aescndrie, Virginia, as
secOnd-clGsS matter.
a Summary Of the Parties.
Tae republican party is made up of por-
ton of The old whigs, the free soil demo-
cra's, The aboiitionists, aud large number
of the know nothings. The anti-slayery
element has nothing to work upon, as slave
ry is forever abolished. There is vain at
tempt every little while to get up . ralying
cry with view to warm the hearts of these
allies aud TO attract adherents Gu account of
their views. The South is represented as
ready for fresh uprising most extrava
gait fctions ere invented to prove that the
! black man is tyraniZed over and abused it
| is openly asserted that secessionists are
| banded together TO secure compensation for
| their emarcipated negroes, and TO obtain an
| appropriation for the old Confederate debt.
But that issue is dead, and no amount OF
electric manipulation will give it any ap
pearance of life or motion.
| The democratic party must have Ia Il
some principles worth preserving, or Ii never
could have survived the mismanagement Of
| its chosen leaders for the last forty yesrs
! From the days OF the Charleston convention
TO the present time, it has disappointed pub
Interpretation By wasting nesrIy all lis OPP
por,unities of usefulness, aud showing
genius for blundering wholly unsurpassed
iii tne history Of any other politica! orSaui.
zstiop. One thing can be said in its favor, II
has never tolerated fraud or corruption
among its followers. There has beena plen-
| ty of both at work among those who, uuder
| -, lo,- f.,
| pluuder, but when discovered they have
been followed up sharply and punished.
! The republican party has been given 10
shielding lis criminals SIS far as it could, nc.
| because the party itself is corrupt, but be-
cause it dreaded the shame of exposure.
These two parties ere not evenly divided
| on any great question affecting the prosper.
| iiy of the country, The republicans, as
party, pursue centralizng policy, and
would briDg even local concerns, if possible,
under the control ofthe central government.
| The democrats favor home rule. and would
not have the federal authority felt in any
! thing not essential to the proper exercise Of
its constitutional functions. Neither party
is IS strenuous as it should be in preserving
intact the restrictions of the federal consti
tuition, but the republicans have led the way
to place the power of Congress in all things
above the fundamental law. The rcpubli'
cans glory in the consolidation of the union
into 8 nation with strong central authority
controlling al things. Che most Thoughtful
among the democrats cling to the idea Of
| federation to which is committed certain
power to be exercised for the common good,
beyond which it may not so, even to glorify
| itself.
Upon the tariff question the parties are di-
! 4 ~: :-l, of4 no
pubIicans holding to the doctrine of tariff
for protection, while the same proportion Of
the democrats regard proper tariff as one
! designed for revenue and aifording all the
protection TO home industry that can be
| reasonably required in rates OF duty Just snf-
| iicient 10 raise the enormous amount re-
quired to meet the proper ou.goes Of the
treasury,
Each OF the parties seeks 10 outdo the
other in its professed adherence TO civil SER
vice reform, but they differ as to its appica-
ton. The republicans would use it to keep
all their friends and followers in office, no mat
ter what changes occur at Washington. The
democrats, it is claimed, would have at first
fair division of the Offices, giving them
their share, and such an application of civil
service rules as will secure non-p partisan &C.
lections thereafter. But we think the heads
of the administration and the more thought
ful of the body would have the rules so ap.
piled as to weed out such of the present in
cumbents as cannot stand upon their own
merits, and thereafter give the vacancies to
the best men of whatever party, rather ia.
voriug, we suppose, their own supporters
where other things are equal.
The prohbitioniss are made up Of three.
fourths republicans and one fourth demo
Gratis. a large part OF them believe in the
right to prescribe what others may drink on
the ground that such restrictions are both
necessary and effective to put an end To The
| frichtfnl evils of intemperance. We have
ascertained, by most indubitable evidence,
that many Of the most ardent prohibtio3ists
are not themselves in the habit of total sb
stineuce from Intoxicating drinks, but they
desire 3 law which shall be enforced 10 pre-
vent the sale OF liquor to those who, in their
| Judgment. make an immoderate use of it.
without invading the rights of tho rest OF
The community. The tota! failure of their
scheme wherever ii has been tried estab-
fishes the fact that no law can prevent the
sale of sn article which is in habitual use
by the great body Of the people.
The labor party is now in the field. AS
far as there hes been any show of hands it
is composed Of two-thirds or three fourths-
hitherto enrolled as democrats, and the re-
mainder of republicans. Il is divided just
nov into three factions The socialists
would take all executive duties from cor
poratons or private employers and capital.
lists, and substitute the State" (which means
themselves) to manage all Industrial and fl
naucal enterprises, and look after every
form of public or private action. Profess
inc to have no affiliatiou with the socialists
in the union labor party, which simply